This week Mom and Dad’s trainer invited us to participate in the big game! No, not the Super Bowl. Asa and I competed in Musical Heel/Sit! This is a special class their trainer does with his elite students. The big game’s line up included professional working dogs, service dogs, rally obedience champions, and yes, two goofy Goldens!
Now the rules for Musical Heel/Sit are simple. Dogs are suppose to walk around the obstacle course with their human at a heel, and when the music stops based on prompting from the trainer we need to listen to our human’s command of sit, down, or stand. Those who don’t respond, are out. Easy, right? But it’s not! It is a game within a game! Sometimes the trainer throws in a twist where while the music is still playing we have to switch directions. Other times he tries to psych us out by making us stay still for what seems like an eternity. And don’t even get me started about the twists and turns of the obstacle course he set up. Musical Heel/Sit is a game of concentration, strategy, timing, and ultimately human obedience!
Before the game began Mom and Dad’s trainer gave everyone time to warm up, and size up the competition. I have to admit these dogs were good. But I wasn’t going to let them intimidate me. So to calm Dad’s nerves I gave him a pep talk. “We have to come together as a team, focus on the signals, and most of all prove those doubters wrong!” As for Asa and Mom, it was pretty obvious they didn’t have a chance.
Asa and Mom were immediately knocked out of the game in the first round. Asa, who doesn’t have a competitive bone in his body, wanted to meet and give best wishes to everyone there. Combine that with the choice of music being his favorite genre, heavy metal, and he couldn’t concentrate on the task at hand. Instead, Asa began prancing to AC/DC! Oh the humiliation! Asa’s lack of focus was bad enough, but did he really need to start moshing? I sure hope none of the other dogs figured out we came together. So while Mom and Asa took their seat on the sidelines to watch, Dad and I set the tone for the day. We were on our way to victory!
Round and round we went, showing great self-discipline and perseverance as one by one the other teams dropped out. I have to admit it wasn’t easy. At the sharp turns in the obstacle course we had to hustle to get to a spot with enough room to do a down. Don’t think I didn’t notice that the smaller dogs had the advantage there. But lo and behold, one by one they got distracted and were out! Sure the long pauses during the down stays drove me crazy and I started to whimper, but I powered through. Then it happened. Dad said a command I never heard before. “Stand!” Stand? No one ever taught me stand before. I know, sit, down, roll over, but stand? I panicked and flopped to my belly. Leaving us in third place for that first round.
However, I wasn’t about to let that loss get into my head. Besides, I knew Dad and I did a good job keeping the other players off guard because no one expected us to last that long in the game. Thus setting the tone that we were a force to be reckoned with in round two! And then there was Asa. After getting a little coaching from Mom’s trainer, they reentered the game, and were knocked out shortly thereafter. Only this time I’m proud to say Asa wasn’t the first one out! One of the other dogs stopped and insisted on a good scratch, thus disqualifying him. Asa was actually able to guide Mom around for a loop and a half, before he got distracted by a random cat who walked through the room. Who invited the cat?
Never mind the cat, my success depended on getting every detail right. Which I’m proud to say Dad and I almost did this time. We came in second place! Seriously, this was our first time playing against 9 seasoned professionals, and we came in second! However, before I could bask in my glory, Mom embarrassed me by leaping to her feet to congratulate Dad and me. However, as humiliating as it was to have my Mom kiss me on the head in front of those working dogs, it made me determined not to come in as second place on the final round. Or as one dog growled under his breath, “the first place loser.” I heard you buddy! Jealous much?
Again, Asa held on longer than expected, but he and Mom soon were sitting on the sidelines taking notes on my expertise. Dad did offer to switch dogs with Mom for this round, but I’m glad she refused. This was our last chance to win, and I wasn’t going to let the momentum of the first two rounds be lost on Mom. This would be our vengeance round! I was licking my chops for a taste of victory, determined to prove all the naysayers wrong. “A goofy Golden couldn’t possibly win,” they said. Well they were right. I wasn’t paying attention and sat instead of doing a down. And just like that, I was out of the game.
Did I want to be number one that day? Yes. Am I disappointed Dad and I didn’t win at least one round? Yes. But I walked away with a far greater prize. I left with the confidence that my work training Dad is paying off! Sure we have more training to do, including learning the new “stand” command. However, together we proved to everyone there that I was a serious competitor. Oh and Asa, he has a long way to go. But that’s ok. We knew that already. I’m sorry Mom for teaming you up with him. Next time we’re invited to compete, I’ll be sure to have you by my side guiding you to victory!
